11 Responses to “Netflix Instant Recommendations March 14 2014”

I’ve wanted to watch Man of Tai Chi for so long, shame it’s not on Netflix in the UK. I’m sure you know this but I’ll mention it anyway because it’s interesting, Tiger is the guy that taught Keanu Reeves martial arts and he can be spotted in Matrix Reloaded during the fight in the Chateau (I think that’s where it was), It’s the good fight that doesn’t use CGI.

Yeah, he is amazing. There was a little wire-fu in Tai Chi but very, very sparingly. Mostly it was all pure talent which I appreciated. Definitely worth checking out if you can find it. A shame the UK has a different selection.

I dunno if you still reply to comments, but I have a feeling you recently (as of the last month) recommended some film, which I cannot remember or even find record of. Which makes me think maybe it wasn’t of the last month, or perhaps even you.

But if (or not) it was you: It was some 1980s movie. Astronauts in space or whatever. Some possible alien impersonating one of them, some young woman. Prolly someone highly sexualized. As these things go.

If these are vague definitions of a film, well, yeah. Because I’m describing a film I haven’t seen, and prolly only heard of once. But if you were the one to recommend it (and I don’t follow that many people), hopefully you know what I’m talking about. If not, well, then I certainly don’t know either. But, IF you were the one to mention it, a little more elucidation/reminderence would be nice. A title, at least? I’m really pushing myself to re-watch 80s stuff. Just watched The ‘Burbs. Fun movie.

Well, I actually meant over at the Agony Booth. That’s kinda my nexus for these vids.

I found the movie: Lifeforce. One of those big, ambitious sci-fi films from the 80s that I had never previously heard of before. And which did poorly and disappeared. And it has Captain Picard in it, which is probably why it was sticking in my memory, even though I couldn’t remember why. My first guess was that it would have come up either on GBF or Radiodrome (since I’ve picked up more 80s recommendations from you guys than from anywhere else), but it turns out that this one was from Spoony.

Seen Mannequin, Weird Science, Earth Girls are Easy and Heathers. I saw Heathers as a kid, actually. ‘Spose I’ll check out Fright Night. Anything that “earns” a crappy sequel musta been pretty good.

Ohhhhh, gotcha. I try to respond over there but sometimes I get overwhelmed with stuff. (which is why I stopped posting in certain places, I just couldn’t keep up with comments coming from everywhere)

Lifeforce is actually a really good movie. Everyone mostly remembers it for Mathilda May walking around completely naked for 90% of the film (and why wouldn’t you? She is stunning!) but beyond that it is actually a very interesting and well done sci-fi horror. The theatrical cut was heavily trimmed but Shout Factory recently released the international cut, which was roughly 15 minutes longer than the US version.

Lifeforce WAS pretty impressive. Hell of a B-movie, even if it had an A-movie budget. $25 million isn’t remotely huge today, and even going by regular inflation, it would be the equivalent of maybe $50 million today. Basically, right about where Dredd was. But the scenes with London on fire were great, as were the animatronics. For the time, admittedly. The scenes with them floating through space were laughable. But both elicted mirth.

Yeah, May’s physique was impressive, but I actually admire the film for just owning all those scenes. “Yeah, she’s naked. What?” It wasn’t gratuitous, actually; it fit the story. There was plenty of goodness going on all around it.

My only issue was that I was confused where all the ghouls came from at the end. The previous victims died, shriveled, came to life for maybe thirty seconds two hour later, then asploded unless they were able to drain more life from someone else. The ones in the streets were running around eating people. It made no sense, but, again, the scenes looked so good, it was only a minor issue.

Gotta be one of the more impressive 80s sci-fis I’ve seen. And I didn’t even know it existed until I saw Spoony’s vid last month. And what’s even weirder, when I went to my local video store to rent a copy (I consider myself blessed that I still have this option), they had a list of the most popular DVD sales of 2013. Lifeforce was #2, behind Nashville and ahead of My Neighbor Totoro. Weird company, but I’ve at least known of them since I was a child.